Roast pheasant – simply delicious

Earlier on in the season roast pheasant is the best way to cook a young bird. The meat is tender and roasting it will bring out the flavour. Later on in the season it’s best to casserole pheasants and cook them slowly. (You’ll find plenty of pheasant recipes here.)

But as it’s November we’re in roast pheasant territory and the simplest way to cook this gamebird is the best.

So here is a delicious recipe with a twist. Start by searing the pheasants in a pan to seal and then roast them to a golden finish in the oven. It’s a straightforward dish that takes just 10 minutes to prepare and only half an hour to cook.

Get the birds to room temperature first so that they start cooking the moment they are placed in the pan.

We’ve added parsnips chips as a slightly different accompaniment and watercress to introduce some sharp freshness.

 

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A post shared by hank shaw (@huntgathercook) on Oct 14, 2019 at 10:16am PDT

Roast pheasant with parsnip crisps and watercress

Ingredients

• 2 OVEN-READY PHEASANTS
• 50G BUTTER
• 2 PARSNIPS
• SUNFLOWER OIL
• SEA SALT
• BLACK PEPPER
• 50G WATERCRESS TO SERVE

Method

1. Bring both birds to room temperature and season, then set aside. Preheat the oven and a roasting tin to 220°C.
2. Melt half the butter in a pan on a medium-high heat. When the butter is foaming, sear the pheasants for two minutes on each side, then add them and the contents of the pan to the tin and roast in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
3. Peel the parsnips and trim off both ends then, using the peeler, continue to shave the parsnips to make the crisps.
4. After 12 to 15 minutes, remove the pheasants from the oven, add the remaining butter and use it to baste the birds before returning them to the oven for 10 minutes. Once they are cooked, allow them to rest, covered, in a warm place.
5. Add the oil to the pan, about 2cm deep, and heat until hot before deep-frying the parsnip shavings until golden. Place the crisps on to some kitchen paper to drain.
6. Season and serve the pheasant and parsnip crisps with the watercress.

This recipe was kindly supplied by Game to Eat.